The Hunter
by Cubit2
Summary: **** Spoiler warning! **** Spoilers, sort of, for the upcoming episode 6.18 Kanaka Hahai (The Hunter) airing April 1, 2016 - no fooling. The aftermath of Danny and his kids' epic adventure. Danny whump. Now that the episode has aired I just had to rewrite the tag to fit the actual storyline, hence chapter 2.
1. Chapter 1

A/N **** Spoiler warning! **** Spoilers, sort of, for the upcoming episode Kanaka Hahai (The Hunter) airing April 1, 2016 - no fooling. I haven't seen a trailer for this ep. A couple people shared some spoilers so I put them together, used lots of imagination and came up with this one-shot. So, basically, it's a tag to an ep that hasn't aired yet. Yeah, I'm weird like that. I need to stop listening to spoilers; they just fuel my over-active imagination and the result is a fan-fic (e.g. Charade and this one) and disappointment when the ep doesn't reach my expectations.

A/N Many thanks to julieb716 for her excellent beta skills but any and all mistakes are mine.

A/N I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters.

H50 H50 H50

Heart pumping frantically Steve sprinted into the Emergency Room and flashed his badge at the receptionist. "Steve McGarrett," he said while scanning the room for anybody he knew. "I got a call that my partner Danny Williams was brought in here." Danny had left hours earlier to pick up Grace and Charlie. He should have been safe at home and serving them dinner by now. "Is he okay? His kids okay? Were they with him?"

Steve figured it was a car accident. Poor Danny had just got the car back after it had been riddled with bullet holes by the Gatling machine gun a few weeks prior; the rant about that one had been spectacular. The caller today, however, had refused to tell him anything, citing hospital protocol. The unknown had left his gut churning with worry, although he'd never admit that to Danny.

The receptionist spoke calmly, apologizing that the only information she could give him was the number of the bay where Danny was being seen.

Hurrying down the hall and pausing in front of the proper bay, Steve took a deep breath before entering. Not having any idea what happened was nerve wracking. Was Danny okay? Grace? Charlie? It was terrible to think that he hoped Danny was hurt but he knew that any injury to his kids would hurt Danny more deeply than any injury of his own. Those kids were his life.

As Steve stepped into the bay he did a quick assessment. Situational awareness was a well-honed skill. Danny was sitting up on the gurney, his head nestled in a pillow, Charlie nestled in his lap. Thankfully, the boy appeared to be fine. "Grace? Where's Grace?" Steve could barely get the words out.

"She's fine. She went to the girl's room." Danny's voice was laced with pain.

Steve scrubbed his hands across his face and let out a breath in relief.

"Hi Uncle Steve," Charlie said, barely glancing up from the game he was playing on Danny's phone.

"Hey buddy," Steve said to the boy as he ruffled his hair. "How're you feeling?"

Danny answered for him. "He's fine." He kissed his son's blond locks. "They're both fine. Thank God. I had them checked over but now they're free to go. Me, on the other hand…"

Relieved that the kids he loved so much were uninjured Steve turned his attention to his equally beloved partner. Sitting there with his shirt removed, Danny's skin was pale, with maybe even a hint of a grayish, greenish tint. Pain lines creased his forehead. His left eye was swollen and bruised. A blood stained bandage was wrapped around his left bicep and the arm was strapped to his chest to keep it immobilized. A few bruises dotted his torso. An IV was pushing fluids into him but Steve didn't see one for painkillers. Danny's right arm was wrapped protectively around Charlie to prevent a tumble off the gurney.

"Yeah, you don't look so good. What happened?"

"Got carjacked."

"Danno arrested the morons," Charlie piped in proudly, still playing intently on the phone but apparently listening as well.

"Language Charlie," Danny chastised.

"Sorry Danno." Charlie glanced at his father with sorrowful brown eyes.

Danny kissed his head again. "It's okay Tiger."

Above the boy's head, Danny and Steve caught each other's eyes as both men smirked. Danny shifted with a groan.

"Carjacked? You alright?" Steve asked concerned, as the doctor and an aide entered the room.

"No, I'm not alright. I have a bullet in my arm you pu…" Danny caught himself before he could unleash a word he didn't want his son to hear. "Partner," he finished instead.

Danny grinned sheepishly at his near mistake as Steve chuckled at his expense.

The doctor asked the aide to take Charlie out of the bay while the doctor examined him. With Danny's assurance that it was okay, permission to keep Danny's phone with him and the aide's promise of plenty of stickers, Charlie agreed.

When they left the room the doctor unbound and unwrapped the injured arm and began the examination of the wound.

"I see scarring here on your arm," the doctor observed.

"I've been shot in the same arm twice before. There must be some kind of bullet magnet in there. Maybe you can find it and take it out before my arm ends up leaking like a sieve."

The doctor grunted a reply and continued his examination and Danny turned on Steve, pointing his finger at him with his good arm. "This is all your fault."

"My fault? I wasn't even with you. How can this possibly be my fault?"

"How? How can it possibly be your fault? You are an animal, a truly Neanderthal presence in my life no matter how far away I am from you. I shouldn't let my kids anywhere near..." He stiffened and hissed, closing his eyes in pain as the doctor probed the wound.

"Why isn't he getting any painkillers?" Steve queried.

"He refused them," the doctor said, shaking his head.

Opening his eyes again, Danny spoke. "Because my kids are with me." He couldn't risk the fuzzy brain that pain meds give while he was responsible for his children. "But you, what were you thinking? What on earth are you teaching my kids?"

Steve was confused. Danny was again implying this was his fault. "It's not my fault you got carjacked."

"No, it's your fault I got shot."

"I wasn't anywhere near you Danny."

"That's right, you weren't, so one would figure I'd be safe, right? I mean I get shot at every five…" Danny groaned in pain at the doctor's ministrations.

"The bullet is still in there," the doctor said.

"Brilliant observation, Doc," Danny said through gritted teeth. "There's one hole, where the bullet went in. There's no other hole where the bullet went out, no exit wound whatsoever, ergo, the bullet is still in there," Danny said before turning back to Steve. "I get shot at every five minutes when I'm with you but you'd think I'd be safe when you're far away and I'm alone with my kids, but then you go and teach your SuperSEAL ways to my kids."

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked.

"We need to get you into surgery and remove it," the doctor said.

"What am I talking about?" Danny said, momentarily ignoring the doctor. "I'm talking about where the hell my son learned the phrase 'shoot him center mass' because he damn well didn't learn that from me."

"What does that have to do with…?

"He said it, Steven. Today. While I was trying to get my kids peacefully and safely out of the car, Charlie instructed me to 'shoot the bad guy center mass'." His voice was escalating as he went on.

"Really?"

"Yes. Really! Right after he asked if I wanted him to get my gun out of the glove box. He's four years old. I've never even shown him my gun. How does he even know I put it in the glove box?" Danny was livid.

"Uncle Steve told me," Charlie said, as he stepped back into the bay with the aide. He was thoroughly covered in stickers with a big smile on his face and the phone held carefully in his hand. He walked right over to Steve's side.

"Traitor," Steve mumbled under his breath, while lovingly taking the small hand in his.

"Steven?" Danny snarled.

"Uhhhh." Steve had the common sense to look sheepish. "We were playing a game."

"Playing a game? Seriously Steven? Seriously? He's four."

"Danno…" Steve tried.

"Don't you Danno me," Danny shouted. "You're a veritable Rambo. A seriously demented Rambo. I shouldn't let you anywhere near my children!"

"Do you want me to ask him to leave?" the doctor asked Danny as Grace walked in and greeted Steve with a hug and a kiss.

"No," Danny answered emphatically, before turning to his sticker-covered son who was still standing next to Steve. "Hey Tiger?"

"Yeah Danno?"

"I need you and Grace to go with Uncle Steve while I stay with the doctor." Danny looked to Steve. He hadn't even asked Steve if he would look after the kids. He didn't have to. Danny knew that right at this moment, there was nothing more important to Steve than the welfare of Grace and Charlie. But he asked the question with a look anyway. Steve's answering look was a yes.

"Will the doctor take care of your boo-boo?" Charlie asked.

Danny smiled fondly. "Yes, he will. But it's going to take a while." He turned to Grace now and reached his good hand out to her. "You okay Monkey?" She looked like she'd been crying while she was out of the room.

Grace simply nodded in reply as she slipped into her father's strong, reassuring one-armed hug. He kissed her atop the head. "I'm fine, Monkey. Don't worry, alright?"

"Okay Danno," she whispered softly. She had to leave his embrace when the nurse stepped over.

"Where's Rachel?" Steve asked, putting his arm around Grace's shoulders as she stepped away from her dad. He had noticed her red eyes as well.

"On the North Shore, not answering her phone," Danny answered despairingly.

"I'll keep trying," Steve promised. He moved his arm from around Grace and reached for Charlie. "What d'ya say Tiger?" he asked, using Danny's nickname for the boy. "Will you come with me so the doctor can take care of Danno for us?"

Nodding affirmatively, Charlie reached his arms up and allowed Steve to lift him into his arms. "Uncle Steve, does Danno really have a bullet inside him?"

"Yes he does," Steve answered.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, a lot," Steve answered again.

Charlie twisted in Steve's arms to look at Danny and then back at Steve, a look of awe in his eyes. "He didn't cry or anything."

Steve smiled fondly at Danny who was now being presented with forms to sign for the surgery. "He's a tough one, our Danno. Are you guys hungry?" Steve asked the kids.

"Starving," Charlie answered. 

"You're always starving," Grace bemoaned. "You had a snack before we left."

"He's a growing boy," Steve told her.

Grace rolled her eyes.

"Grace, can you take Charlie to the waiting room for a minute," Danny asked.

"I'll be right behind you. I promise," Steve added.

"Sure Uncle Steve," Grace agreed. Grace and Charlie both exchanged hugs and kisses with their dad and then Steve put Charlie down.

When Grace and Charlie left the room hand in hand, Steve turned to Danny. "How you feeling, D?"

Danny groaned. "Hurts like hell, especially if I move it." His voice was weak; the front of strength and well being he was putting up for his kids was all gone. To Steve, he looked paler than he had just a moment ago. The adrenaline crash hit fast and hard.

"Well, they'll be giving you the good stuff now so you should feel a little better soon. Nauseous? You look a bit green."

Danny swallowed thickly. "Yeah."

"Probably from the pain. You've been walking around for hours with a slug in you."

"Yeah. Look Steve," Danny said wearily. "I don't know how long it'll take to get a hold of Rachel, much less get her here."

Steve nodded. "Don't worry about the kids. I'll take care of them like they're mine."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Danny grinned.

Steve reached his hand out and Danny grasped it. "Good luck in there, buddy."

"Thanks Steve."

"Love ya man," Steve told him.

"Love ya too."

"Take good care of him," Steve instructed the medical staff in his best authoritarian voice as he left the room to go and keep an eye on his niece and nephew of the heart.

When they each had their food in front of them in the cafeteria, Steve sat down next to Charlie and across from Grace. "So, tell me what happened."

Hours later, Rachel had been reached and had picked up the kids but Steve had remained at the hospital. There was no place he wanted to be other than by his partner's side. The surgeon said that surgery to remove the bullet had gone well. Danny would be in pain for a while but with time and physical therapy he should recover fully.

Now in a room where he would spend at least one night, Danny had shown signs of waking from the anesthesia several times and now seemed to be awake for good, resting with the back of the bed raised partway. "Grace? Charlie?" Danny asked again.

"Rachel has them. Don't worry, partner, they're fine," Steve assured him gently.

"Thanks Steve."

"Anytime."

"Anytime? I sure as hell hope there is never another time." Danny relaxed a bit but memories of the day kept filling his head. "I was so scared Steve. They could have hurt my kids."

Steve patted Danny on the leg reassuringly. "I can only imagine." Actually, Steve couldn't fathom what it was like for his partner to be both father and cop at the same time, on his own with no backup. Then Steve chuckled softly, lightening the mood a bit. "The kids were telling me what happened. Those bad guys didn't know who they were messing with, partner. Did you really commandeer a bus and shoot one guy with a crossbow?"

Danny smirked. "I didn't have my car, my phone or my gun. Had to improvise." He shifted and groaned at the pain it aroused.

"Well, you protected Grace and Charlie, got your car back, foiled their robbery plans and caught the bad guys. Look at you, going all Rambo SuperCop on those morons," Steve said, using Danny-style language.

"Told you you're a bad influence," Danny said with a soft laugh.

Steve shook his head, recalling again the story the kids had relayed to him. "No partner, you're totally bada** all on your own."

The End


	2. tag rewritten to fit the actual ep

*** This is not actually a second chapter. I have simply rewritten the fic to fit the real ep. ***

A/N **** Spoiler warning! **** Spoilers for the episode Kanaka Hahai (The Hunter) aired April 1, 2016. When I wrote the first "chapter" of this fic I hadn't seen a trailer for this ep. A couple people had shared some spoilers so I put them together, used lots of imagination and came up with that one-shot. So, basically, it was a tag to an ep that had not yet aired. Yeah, I'm weird like that.

I loved this episode, specifically the Danny part. Danny and his kids were awesome. It started out really, really funny and then changed to really, really great, smart and courageous Danny stuff. Loved it. Vance was great and I hope we see him again sometime. Maybe he and Danny can go hunting together and (of course) Danny will get whumped. Sounds like a fanfic that I don't have time to write. Oh, and in my first "chapter" I called it with Danny getting shot in the left arm. They seriously lack creativity in the whump department.

I was, however, surprised that Charlie was calling Danny "Daddy" and not "Danno." I can't figure out if that's the result of working with a small child or because they simply intend to ignore the fact that Charlie was only recently identified by Rachel as being Danny's son, not Stan's.

So again, this is not actually a second chapter. I have simply rewritten the tag to fit the real ep. Hope you enjoy.

A/N Special thanks again to Julieb716 for a very quick beta on this. Still, all mistakes are mine, especially since I rewrote some parts after she saw it.

A/N I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any of the characters.

H50 H50 H50

Heart pumping frantically Steve sprinted into the Emergency Room and flashed his badge at the receptionist. "Steve McGarrett," he said while scanning the room for anybody he knew. "I got a call that my partner Danny Williams was brought in here." Danny had taken the day off to take care of Grace and Charlie while Rachel was away and the kids were off from school. He had been so excited to have some family time with them. He should have been safe at home and serving them dinner by now. "Is he okay?"

Steve had only a basic idea of what had happened. Kamekona had called him to tell him the kids were safe at his place, but they didn't know what had come of Danny. Danny had left his kids in the care of someone he trusted and went after some bad guys who had used his car and his guns to rob a gas station. Poor Danny had just got the car back after it had been riddled with bullet holes by the Gatling machine gun a few weeks prior; the rant about that one had been spectacular. But, they hadn't heard from Danny since he left them to go after the bad guys hours ago.

The caller from the hospital though had refused to tell him anything, citing hospital protocol. All she told him was that an ambulance had brought his partner in. The unknown had left his gut churning with worry, although he'd never admit that to Danny.

The receptionist spoke calmly, apologizing that the only information she could give him was the number of the bay where Danny was being seen.

Hurrying down the hall and pausing in front of the proper bay, Steve took a deep breath before entering. Not having any idea how badly Danny was injured was nerve wracking. It was terrible to be thankful that it was Danny who was hurt but he knew that any injury to his kids would have hurt Danny more deeply than any injury of his own. Those kids were his life.

As Steve stepped into the bay he did a quick assessment. Situational awareness was a well-honed skill. Danny was sitting up on the gurney, his head nestled in a pillow. Sitting there with his shirt removed, Danny's skin was pale, with maybe even a hint of a grayish, greenish tint. Pain lines creased his forehead. A blood stained bandage was wrapped around his left bicep and the arm was strapped to his chest to keep it immobilized. An IV was pushing fluids into him but Steve didn't see one for painkillers.

There was no hello. "The kids? You gotta help me find my kids." Danny could barely get the words out.

"Easy buddy, easy. They're fine. Kamekona called me. They're okay."

"They're fine? Really? Thank God." He sighed in relief and then processed what Steve had said. "Kamekona?"

"Yeah, he said there was no way to reach you."

Danny was still a bit confused. "Kame? I left them with Mamo."

"Mamo? Chin and Kono's cousin?"

"One of many. He was driving the bus." Danny's voice was laced with pain. Now that he knew the kids were okay, it was showing through.

"What happened to you? You alright?" Steve asked concerned, as the doctor entered the room.

"No, I'm not alright. Why would I be sitting here in the ER worrying about my kids if I was alright?."

The doctor unbound and unwrapped the injured arm and began the examination of the wound.

"I see scarring here on your arm," the doctor observed.

"I've been shot in the same arm twice before, Doc. There must be some kind of bullet magnet in there. Maybe you can find it and take it out before my arm ends up leaking like a sieve, huh? What d'ya think? Please?"

The doctor grunted a reply and continued his examination and Danny turned on Steve, pointing his finger at him with his good arm. "This is all your fault."

"My fault? I wasn't even with you. How can this possibly be my fault?"

"How? How can it possibly be your fault? You are an animal, a truly Neanderthal presence in my life no matter how far away I am from you." He stiffened and hissed, closing his eyes in pain as the doctor probed the wound.

"Why isn't he getting any painkillers?" Steve queried.

"He refused them," the doctor said, shaking his head.

Opening his eyes again, Danny spoke through gritted teeth. "I have to get back to my kids." He couldn't risk the fuzzy brain that pain meds give while he was responsible for his children.

"The kids are fine." Steve reassured him again, but he was confused by what Danny had said a moment ago. "But, it's not my fault your car got stolen."

"No, it's your fault I got shot."

"I wasn't anywhere near you Danny."

"That's right, you weren't, so one would figure I'd be safe, right? I mean I get shot at every five…" Danny groaned in pain at the doctor's ministrations.

"The bullet is still in there," the doctor said.

"Brilliant observation, Doc," Danny said through gritted teeth. "There's one hole, where the bullet went in. There's no other hole where the bullet went out, no exit wound whatsoever, ergo, the bullet is still in there," Danny said before turning back to Steve. "I get shot at every five minutes when I'm with you but you'd think I'd be safe when you're far away and I'm alone with my kids. I lived in Newark all my life, walked a beat in Newark for years. Newark, NJ, you know what it's like right? Seen it on lists of the most violent places in the universe? Yet six years on this pineapple-infested hell-hole with you and I get shot, stabbed, beat up, multiple times mind you, nearly blown up too, you name it. You are a freakin' trouble magnet whether you're with me or not. "

"Oh, so that's how it's my fault?"

"It's the only explanation."

Steve smirked. This was the way Danny handled stress. Ranting was just an outlet. He simply ignored the accusations. "Wait a minute. Back up. How did you get shot? You were having a day with your kids."

"Sorry," the doctor interrupted, "the story will have to wait. We need to remove the bullet, repair some muscle damage, disinfect that wound and suture it so we're going to have to get him into surgery."

"Okay," Steve reluctantly agreed.

"Just one more minute, Doc," Danny requested. When the doctor nodded his assent and left the bay Danny spoke to Steve. "Hey, partner. Can you please go check on my kids? I mean Mamo and Kame are great and all but they're not Uncle Steve."

"Of course, buddy." Steve nodded. "Don't worry about the kids. I'll take care of them like they're mine."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Danny grinned before sobering. "Steve?" he went on, but hesitated before continuing. "Grace, she…"

"What's the matter buddy? Grace is fine. I told you that."

"No, she uh…" Danny wiped his hand over his face. "She wasn't acting like herself. She was angry, sarcastic…"

"Like father, like daughter," Steve gibed.

"I hate you," Danny growled.

"She's a teenager, Danny. It's about time she realizes you're not perfect," Steve taunted further.

"Will you just shut the hell up and listen for once? She knows I'm not perfect, she knows Charlie is mine and she's old enough to know how that happened. We talked about it and had made peace over it. But now… now… Damn it, Steve. Today Charlie started calling me Daddy."

"That's a bad thing?"

"How the hell should I know?" Danny shouted. He hated being so confused by his own life. "He starts calling me Daddy and suddenly she wants nothing to do with me."

Then a realization hit Steve. "You know, you're not an easy person to share."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You're like this all or nothing kind of guy, Danny. You hate almost everybody but when you love, you love fiercely. Grace has felt that for 14 years. For 14 years she knew she was the most important person in your life. Well, except for me of course."

"Go to hell."

"Hey, she learned to share you with me so she'll come around." Steve smirked, hoping that he had somehow eased Danny's mind. He didn't need to go into this surgery stressed like this. "Look, you're the oldest child, you learned to deal with it, right? Well, as well as you deal with anything, anyway."

"You're not helping."

"She'll be fine, trust me. She'll take one look at that bandage around your arm and she won't be angry anymore."

"Seriously? The sympathy card? Screw my life." Danny huffed out on a tired, pained exhale.

Steve smiled fondly now as he asked gently. "Besides that, how you feeling, D?"

Danny groaned. "Hurts like hell, especially if I move it." His voice was weak; the front of strength and well being he had been putting up was all gone. To Steve, he looked paler than he had just a moment ago. The adrenaline crash hit fast and hard.

"That's what happens when a muscle gets chewed up. But, they'll be giving you the good stuff now so you should feel a little better soon. Nauseous? You look a bit green."

Danny swallowed thickly. "Yeah."

"Probably from the pain. You've been walking around for a couple hours with a slug in you." Steve reached his hand out and Danny grasped it. "Good luck in there, buddy."

"Thanks Steve."

"Love ya man," Steve told him.

"Love ya too."

"Take good care of him," Steve instructed the medical staff in his best authoritarian voice as he left the bay to go and keep an eye on his niece and nephew of the heart.

As Steve gave his contact information to the staffer at the desk he was approached by a large man in hunting gear who said his name was Vance and that he had helped Danny track the bad guys. He was inquiring about how the cowboy was doing.

Steve raised an eyebrow at the cowboy nickname the man had apparently given to Danny but he didn't question it. Instead, he told him that Danny was heading into surgery to have the bullet removed and promised to give the offered contact information to him when Danny was released.

At Steve's request, Vance told how Danny had hailed him down and requested use of the crossbow to take down the felons who had stolen his car and his guns and had used them to rob and shoot up a gas station. He gave a detailed description of how Danny had remained calm and focused and how he had made sure that Vance got into the safety of the house to call police while, armed with a crossbow and only one arrow, he singlehandedly took on the two men armed with his own guns.

He further explained how Danny had used the same arrow twice to stop the bad guys and had been shot while steadfastly and courageously taking down the second one. He finally told how morose Danny had been at mortally wounding the man who had shot him.

Impressed with his interaction with Steve's partner, Vance was hoping that Danny would agree to go hunting with him some time. Steve could join them if he wished. Steve promised him that if Danny agreed, Steve would most assuredly be there as well. This was something he had to see. Vance finished up with this assessment, "I'm just glad that cowboy's on the side of the good guys."

Hours later, Steve was with the children when he got the call from the hospital that the surgery had gone well and that Danny would likely be waking soon and would then be allowed to leave. Steve left the children in the care of Mamo and Kamekona and returned to his partner's side. Due to significant muscle damage and a small hairline fracture where the bullet hit bone, Danny would have limited mobility and be in pain for a while, the surgeon said, but with time and physical therapy he should recover fully.

Now in recovery, Danny was recuperating from the anesthesia, resting with the back of the bed raised partway. "Grace? Charlie?" Danny asked.

"They're with Kame and Mamo. Don't worry, they're fine," Steve assured him gently. "And Grace, well she came clean partner."

"What did you say to her you Neanderthal?"

"Nothing, I swear. I was barely there five seconds and she was sobbing that you'd hate her forever for how she had behaved."

"I'd never…"

"I know. She knows. I made sure she knows. It's all good."

"Thanks Steve, for everything."

"Anytime."

"Anytime? I sure as hell hope there is never another time." Danny relaxed a bit but memories of the day kept filling his head. "I was so scared Steve. Those guys, they could have hurt my kids."

Steve patted Danny on the leg reassuringly. "I can only imagine." Actually, Steve couldn't fathom what it was like for his partner to be both father and cop at the same time, on his own with no backup and chasing felons. Then Steve chuckled softly, lightening the mood a bit. "Your new pal Vance was telling me what happened. Those bad guys didn't know who they were messing with, Cowboy."

Danny rolled his eyes at Steve's use of Vance's nickname for him. "I didn't have my car, my phone or my gun. Had to improvise." He shifted and groaned at the pain it aroused.

"He said you stood your ground against a semi-automatic pistol." Steve had to admit, to himself anyway, that he was impressed with what his partner had done, with the courage and fortitude it had taken to track and take down two armed felons singlehandedly and grossly under-armed.

"My own gun, actually." Danny clenched his jaw in anger.

"He shot you with your own gun?"

Danny's voice rose in anger. "It was locked in my trunk but they got to it. They used it to commit a felony. That's why I was tracking them down." He chased them largely because of what they seemed capable of in the future. He couldn't allow that, especially not with his own guns.

Noting Danny's agitation, Steve tried to lighten it up a little. "Did you really commandeer a bus and shoot both guys with a crossbow?"

Danny nodded. Not quite as amused as Steve was. "Killed one." He sighed in disgust.

"They were armed felons, Danny, armed and dangerous. They had used your car and guns to commit an armed robbery and shoot at innocent people. You protected Grace and Charlie and a bus full of people, got your car and your guns back and caught the bad guys. Look at you, going all Rambo SuperCop on those morons," Steve said, using Danny-style language.

"Told you you're a bad influence," Danny said with a soft laugh.

Steve shook his head, recalling again the story Vance had relayed to him. "No Cowboy, you're totally bada** all on your own."

Soon thereafter Danny's arm was bound up in a sling and with prescriptions for painkillers and antibiotics in hand he was allowed to leave. They couldn't get to Kamekona's Shrimp truck where his children were waiting fast enough as far as Danny was concerned.

After being greeted by Grace, Mamo and Kamekona, Danny was finally able to sit down with his kids. It was good to get off his feet, the long, stressful day, compounded by the injury and subsequent out-patient surgery had taken its toll.

Danny was settled where he was the happiest, between his two children. Mamo and Steve were on the opposite side. Mamo and the kids were listening intently to Steve's watered down children's version of what Danny had done after they left the bus.

"So Daddy arrested the morons?" Charlie summed up proudly.

"Language Charlie," Danny gently chastised as he and Steve exchanged an amused grin.

"Sorry Daddy." Charlie glanced at his father with sorrowful brown eyes.

Danny kissed his blond locks. "It's okay buddy."

"Yes he caught both of them all by himself," Steve answered Charlie's question, not mentioning that Danny had put one in the hospital and that the other one was dead.

"I'm proud of you Dad," Grace said, foregoing the use of the name 'Danno' to stake her share of claim to their father.

"Thank you Monkey. I'm proud of you, too." Danny kissed her head. "You did good today taking care of your brother so I could catch the bad guys."

Grace beamed with joy and Steve gave her a fond 'told you so' wink.

"Did Daddy really have a bullet inside him?" Charlie now asked of Steve.

"Yes he did," Steve answered.

"Did it hurt?"

"Yeah, a lot," Steve answered again.

Charlie twisted in his seat to look at Danny and then back at Steve, a look of awe in his eyes. "He didn't cry or anything?"

Steve smiled fondly at Danny. "No he didn't. He's a tough one, our Danno. A real cowboy."

The End


End file.
